Category: Punk Rock

Punk rock (or simply “punk”) is a rock music genre that developed in the early to mid-1970s in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in 1960s garage rock and other forms of what is now known as “proto-punk” music, punk rock bands rejected perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock. Punk bands typically produced short or fast-paced songs, with hard-edged melodies and singing styles, stripped-down instrumentation, and often political, anti-establishment lyrics. Punk embraces a DIY ethic; many bands self-produce recordings and distribute them through informal channels.

The term “punk” was first used in relation to rock music by some American critics in the early 1970s, to describe garage bands and their devotees. By late 1976, bands such as the New York Dolls, Television, and the Ramones in New York City, and the Sex Pistols, the Clash, and the Damned in London were recognized as the vanguard of a new musical movement. The following year saw punk rock spreading around the world, and it became a major cultural phenomenon in the United Kingdom. For the most part, punk took root in local scenes that tended to reject association with the mainstream. An associated punk subculture emerged, expressing youthful rebellion and characterized by distinctive styles of clothing and adornment (ranging from deliberately offensive T-shirts, leather jackets, spike bands and other studded or spiked jewelry to bondage and S&M clothes) and a variety of anti-authoritarian ideologies.

By the early 1980s, faster and more aggressive styles such as hardcore punk (e.g. Minor Threat), street punk (e.g. the Exploited), and anarcho-punk (e.g. Crass) had become the predominant mode of punk rock. Musicians identifying with or inspired by punk also pursued a broad range of other variations, giving rise to post-punk and new wave and later indie pop, alternative rock, and noise rock. By the 1990s, punk rock had re-emerged in the mainstream, as pop punk bands such as Green Day and the Offspring brought the genre widespread popularity.

Iconic. It’s one of those covers that bands want to recreate, but never will.

Want to Own on Vinyl?:

Not really, it’s fine on my shuffle, not really going to sit down and listen to the whole album again.

Final Thoughts:

I’m glad I sat down and experienced the Horses album as a whole. It was a unique experience. But not one that I’ll jump at going through again. Sure there are some wonderful tunes on this album, but there are other songs that are 10 minutes or so long that I was okay listening to the one time. Iconic? Sure. But vocally she got under my skin at times, especially when it got really trembly. Just not the kinda punk I rock to for the most part.

Death From Above 1979 has this kind of Where’s Fluffy (Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist) mystique about them. When I first moved to Vancouver all I could see was posters with this album cover on it, I had no idea what it was. Finally I sat down and listened to The Physical World, and after all these years I can say that it’s kind of a big bowl of meh. I like some songs but overall their marketing is just way better than their actual music. I wish I could go back to living in the bubble, but part of being an adult is seeing things as they are. Oh well their album covers are still rad.

It’s pretty rad, reminds me a lot of the album covers you’d see in the 60’s.

Want to Own on Vinyl?:

Yeah for sure.

Final Thoughts:

White Lung really caught me off guard, I originally found them through Amoeba’s youtube series: what’s in my bag. I loved their choices for vinyl and decided to give them a shot, and I’m really happy I did, they sound somewhat familiar, but I can’t quite put my finger to who it sounds like. Regardless you’d be at a loss to miss this album, you should 100% check it out!